SEVILLE - Nine cars of a southbound CSX freight train derailed Monday night, causing traffic to be detoured from U.S. Highway 17 and sparking two small fires near the tracks.

Two tankers were among the cars that overturned shortly before 9 p.m., but no injuries or hazardous spills were reported. Fire crews quickly doused the fires.

Units from Volusia County Fire Services, the Sheriff's Office and the Florida Highway Patrol arrived to monitor the situation.

CSX conductor C. E. Cross said the 87-car train was traveling at about 45 mph when the cars left the track. He wouldn't speculate on the cause of the derailment. "They just came off," he said.

The incident occurred just south of Seville near Little Brown Church Road. U.S. 17 was closed temporarily, but officials on the scene said they expected to reopen the highway by midnight.

Investigators from FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the National Transportation Safety Board were expected to begin inquiring into the wreck today, according to Fire Services Lt. K. Rockhold.

CSX officials and derailment crews were on their way to the scene late Monday night, Rockhold said, but efforts to right the cars probably would not be made until daylight.

Rockhold said there were no injuries, but rescue workers at first feared that an automobile had been hit by the train. However, the car turned out to be part of the train's cargo.
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